I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Psalm 16: 8, NKJV.
Merciful God, we are blessed indeed to have a God so close to us, that no matter how the world around us is in turmoil, we can remain unmoved, untouched! We give You thanks for this immense privilege in the mighty name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen!
Yesterday, David bore testimony to the fact that with God at his right hand, he would be saved from condemnation. Today, he will once again make his “boast in the LORD,” for keeping him from being moved – by standing at his right hand.
We live in a day of much uncertainty. We can appreciate this in the physical world, the political world, and sad to say, even in the religious world. Is it any wonder so many people are unhappy with their religious experience, and have set out to find alternatives? While I do not believe that we can find alternatives for what is a unique encounter, I can certainly understand why they would become disenchanted with much of what they see happening in the world of religion.
David had tasted and seen for himself how good the LORD was, so, from the very beginning of the psalm, he declares, “Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the LORD, ‘ “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing” (1, 2, emphasis provided). You will notice that this psalm is called a Michtam. I am not completely sure what the word means, but it is suggested that it is probably from a root word which means to “hide” implying a mystery or secret (The Spurgeon Archive). When applied to this psalm, I would say that that definition is quite appropriate. To know the LORD at the level expressed in this psalm is a mystery that is experienced only by those who have had a close encounter with the Almighty!
For David, God was the portion of his inheritance. In God, He had all he would ever need. All the riches that “fade not away,” and the right to eternal life, were his, because God was his portion! We have read stories of birthrights and the blessings that are included in them. They have spiritual and material components, and they are highly esteemed for different reasons, by different people. For David, the reason he considered himself so blessed, was because the LORD was his portion, and his cup. The line which divided his inheritance from that of others, had fallen in pleasant places. He considered that he had been given a good parcel of land! The best!
God was also his counselor. The fact that he had received a good inheritance, did not exclude the night seasons in his experience. There would be moments of weeping and sadness that He would have to face; but in those dark moments, God would be there! Therefore, he could conclude, that with God at his right hand, he would not be moved!
As Christians we too, need to be aware that our inheritance is the best! The lines have indeed fallen unto us in pleasant places! The One who made us heirs to this inheritance is none other than Jesus Christ the Lord of all – “Who Is, and Who Was, and Who Is to come” (Revelation 1: 8)! He is the great I AM! When He conquered death, He did it on our behalf! Therefore, our inheritance is “eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5: 1)! Nothing can move us; not even death!